!.!-!:).'% 02/ 02):%0!#+!'% %&//*4$)".#&34*/'-6&/$&4t130500-4 7). &2/-0%!2, VALUED ATOVER *ANUARY 4HE7ORLDS$RUM-AGAZINE )®4,&3%®4 /"*-5)04& (3"/5)"35 5&.104 ""30/$0.&44 5*14'035*.&,&&1*/( :&"340'41*/ "/*."-4"4-&"%&34 4637*7"-,*5 /"7&/&,01&38&*4 .645)"7&4'035)&30"% J>;ED;;L;HO8E:OM7DJI C7JJ9>7C8;HB7?D !ND !$,%2 ")33/.%44% #!22).'4/. '!4:%. (%97!2$ -ODERN$RUMMERCOM +%,4.%2 2%)4:%,, 2),%9 3!.#(%: 3(!2/.% 7!2$ Volume 36, Number 1 • Cover photo by Alex Solca CONTENTS Alex Solca Paul La Raia 36 AARON COMESS It’s been twenty years since the Spin Doctors embedded them- selves in the recesses of our ears with hits like “Two Princes,” “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong,” and “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues.” Turns out those gloriously grooving performances represent but one side of this well-traveled drummer’s career. by Robin Tolleson Ebet Roberts 48 MATT CHAMBERLAIN He’s moved from Texas to New York to Seattle and now to L.A., sometimes following employment and sometimes chasing his muse. With his technical abilities and artful aesthetic, however, the first-call drummer would probably have plenty of work even if he moved to the moon. by Michael Dawson 64 GRANT HART In the mid-’80s, Hüsker Dü fused hardcore punk with bittersweet pop, setting the table for an entire generation of angst-ridden alterna-rockers. Two decades on, the band’s drummer traces the trio’s profound path of influence. by David Jarnstrom 47 THE 2012 MD PRO PANEL This year the Pro Panel once again represents the remarkable scope and depth of modern drumming, from the absolute pinnacle of studio recording Matthias Ketz to the forefront of arena performance, from the most shredding metal to the cutting edge of jazz. 12 UPDATE • J.P. “THUNDERBOLT” PATTERSON • Emily’s Army’s JOEY ARMSTRONG Marco Soccoli 70 INFLUENCES: DENNIS CHAMBERS 32 PORTRAITS Animals as Leaders’ NAVENE KOPERWEIS By merging elements of funk, fusion, R&B, and jazz into a daunting style that rides magically on a carpet of stunning 98 A DIFFERENT VIEW MARCUS MILLER power and technical exhilaration, Dennis Chambers has become one of the most important and influential drummers 100 FROM THE PAST Classical Roots, Part 3 JOHN CAGE of the post-fusion period. by Ken Micallef Education 92 72 CONCEPTS Memorizing Tempos Tips for Finding Your Own Reference Points by Mark Schulman 74 STRICTLY TECHNIQUE A Look at Hybrid Rudiments The Hairta and Its Application on the Drumset by Christopher Simms 76 ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC Sticking the Beat A Four-Step Process to Discovering New Grooves by Joel Popelsky 78 DRUM SOLOIST Ostinato Studies Part 3: Metric Modulation by Jason Gianni 82 FUNKY BEAT Ideas From the Road Soundcheck Grooves to Chew On 20 by David Garibaldi Departments 8 AN EDITOR’S OVERVIEW YouTube Hit and Run by Adam Budofsky 11 READERS’ PLATFORM 16 ASK A PRO Gimme 10! With Train’s SCOTT UNDERWOOD Back Through the Stack With Jazz Vet BEN RILEY 18 IT’S QUESTIONABLE Cleaning Clear Kits • Drummers and Copyrights 30 102 86 SHOWCASE FEATURING DRUM MARKET Alex Solca Mel Robbins 92 CRITIQUE 102 BACKBEATS Remembering Eric Carr 104 KIT OF THE MONTH Kid-Friendly Demons Equipment 20 PRODUCT CLOSE-UP • DW Performance Series Drumset • PAISTE Twenty Masters Collection • AHEAD Armor Cases • LATIN PERCUSSION Stanton Moore Pandeiro and Hi-Hat Shekere WIN an amazing e-Pro prize package 26 ELECTRONIC REVIEW from Pearl valued at over AVID Pro Tools $ 30 GEARING UP 9,200! pg. 73 Yellowcard’s LONGINEU PARSONS III 44 SHOP TALK MD DIGITAL SUBSCRIBERS! The Working Drummer’s Survival Kit When you see this icon, click on a shaded box on the page to open the audio player. by Benjamin Homola Note: Shaded boxes appear when you first view a digitally enhanced page, and then they fade; they will reappear when you roll over the area. Sign up online! 84 NEW AND NOTABLE AN EDITOR’S OVERVIEW YouTube FOUNDER MODERN DRUMMER ADVISORY BOARD: Kenny Aronoff, Eddie Bayers, RONALD SPAGNARDI Bill Bruford, Harry Cangany, Dennis 1943–2003 DeLucia, Les DeMerle, Len DiMuzio, Hit and Run Peter Erskine, Vic Firth, Bob Gatzen, Danny Gottlieb, Sonny Igoe, Jim Keltner, PUBLISHER/CEO Paul Leim, Peter Magadini, George healthy number of Modern Drummer’s followers Marsh, Rod Morgenstein, Andy ISABEL SPAGNARDI Newmark, Neil Peart, Ed Shaughnessy, Ahave real aspirations to one day see their name Steve Smith, Billy Ward, Dave Weckl, within the pages of the magazine, and not just on SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Paul Wertico. the address label on the cover. This makes for an LORI SPAGNARDI CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: unusually active and intimate relationship between Patrick Berkery, David Ciauro, John Emrich, Mike Haid, Dr. Asif Khan, Rick editors and readers, much of which is conducted via email exchanges. VICE PRESIDENT Mattingly, Ken Micallef, Mark Parsons, It’s inarguable that we wouldn’t be able to do what we do if it weren’t for KEVIN W. KEARNS Martin Patmos, Jeff Potter, Will Romano, Bernie Schallehn, Ilya Stemkovsky, the direct connection we have with our readers. Many story ideas begin with Stephen Styles, Robin Tolleson, Lauren reader inquiries, and for a magazine such as ours, whose stated aim is to help ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Vogel Weiss, Paul Wells. TRACY A. KEARNS players improve their craft, it’s incredibly important to encourage the public MODERN DRUMMER magazine to offer editorial suggestions. (ISSN 0194-4533) is published EDITORIAL DIRECTOR monthly by It gets sticky, of course, when readers’ suggestions involve doing a story MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Inc., ADAM J. BUDOFSKY on…them. On the surface, there’s no problem with this at all. After all, the 12 Old Bridge Road, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. PERIODICALS MAIL POSTAGE paid at music business has always been brutal, and drummers, by the nature of their Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 and at additional MANAGING EDITOR role in the music, remain both literally and figuratively in the shadows at the mailing offices. Copyright 2012 by MICHAEL DAWSON MODERN DRUMMER Publications, Inc. back of the stage. Given this scenario, who’s to blame a musician for tracking All rights reserved. Reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. down an editor’s email address and tooting his or her own horn? But—and this ASSOCIATE EDITOR is a big but—it’s all about how you do your tooting. BILLY AMENDOLA EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING/ADMINIS- Simply put, there’s been an alarming decrease in professionalism in the TRATIVE OFFICES: MODERN DRUM- MER Publications, 12 Old Bridge Road, many unsolicited emails we receive from aspiring professional drummers. One ASSOCIATE EDITOR Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. Tel: (973) day I hope to write a feature or even conduct a seminar on this subject—I really 239-4140. Fax: (973) 239-7139. MICHAEL PARILLO Email: [email protected]. do think that developing professional communication skills is that important in terms of your potential for success in this business, and I really do see that EDITORIAL ASSISTANT MODERN DRUMMER welcomes manu- scripts and photographic material but can- much amateur behavior. But for now we’ll focus on the single most frustrating SUZANNE HURRING not assume responsibility for them. trend I’ve observed: the hit-and-run YouTube link. The email usually looks SUBSCRIPTIONS: US and Canada something like this: SENIOR ART DIRECTOR $34.97 per year; $56.97, two years. SCOTT G. BIENSTOCK Other international $59.97 per year. Single copies $5.99. Yo, yo, yo! Check out my playing. You need to cover drummers like me in Modern Drummer! Hit me back. www.youtube.com/watchm-0wv45986upw ART DIRECTOR SUBSCRIPTION CORRESPONDENCE: GERALD VITALE Modern Drummer, PO Box 274, Oregon, IL 61061-9920. Change of address: Now, a big part of an editor’s job involves deciding on the relative merits of Allow at least six weeks for ADVERTISING DIRECTOR a change. Please provide both old and one story idea over another—editorial space is always at a premium, and there new address. Call (800) 551-3786 BOB BERENSON never seems to be quite enough room in the magazine to cover all the great or (815) 732-5283. Phone hours, 8AM–4:30PM Monday–Friday CST, drummers making worthwhile contributions to the art. I mean, some of these or visit Subscriber Services at ADVERTISING ASSISTANT men and women have spent years humbly mailing in their latest recordings, www.moderndrummer.com. LASHANDA GIBSON DVDs, or method books, hoping for a mention in their favorite drum magazine. MUSIC DEALERS: Modern Drummer These individuals’ patience and perseverance is humbling, and it’s definitely is distributed by Hal Leonard Corp. DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGNER (800) 554-0626. [email protected] not lost on us editors, each of whom has been on the pitching side of our own EJ DECOSKE www.halleonard.com/dealers independent projects. INTERNATIONAL LICENSING But when you read your third or fourth “Look at how awesome I am and get REPRESENTATIVE: Robert Abramson & Associates, Inc., Libby Abramson, back to me immediately!” email in a day…well…an editor can get kinda cranky. MODERNMODERN DDRUMMERRUMMER PROPRO PPANELANEL President, PO Box 740346, Boyton By four or five o’clock, we might have already had to say no several times to MODERN DRUMMER Beach, FL 33474-0346, drummers with real careers—players who are polite, concise, clear, and confi- PRO PANEL [email protected]. 2012 Pro Panel dent without being arrogant; who are patient if their first and second emails go POSTMASTER: Send address changes Chris Adler unanswered for longer than they expected; who express a familiarity with the to Modern Drummer, PO Box 274, Gregg Bissonette Oregon, IL 61061-9920.